I've been going to Disneyland for a while, and it seems that only in the past couple years they've had those signs on rides that read:

"Documents related to the Certificate of Compliance for this Attraction may be viewed at City Hall in Town Square."

I know they didn't always have them, was it a new regulation, or did they simply decide to move the "documentation" to City Hall, or is it a legal sort of thing?

This requirement is a DOSH regulation and it's been in effect since the Permanent Amusement Ride division came into being. I know because I used to have to deal with this. That's been at least ten years. I would imagine that Disney has fought this since it's inception as "unsightly". It was either keeping the records at City Hall or have a copy of the documentation available at every attraction that could be viewed by anyone that requests it. The former is a more controlled enviourment compared to the loading area of Big Thunder Mountain.

to be honest most of the closures is a matter of paperwork and procedures not being up to date with new safety regulations. That is why Matterhorn splash and screamin all went down, just paperwork issues. Soarin had legitimate fall protection issues which are now fixed and space needs some structural changes to get it 100%

I understand safety, but at some point this becomes a matter of a state agency extending too much power of a private business.

This has GOT to be a Fines and Fees money-grab by Cal-DOSH and OSHA. Problem is, they haven't hit a company hard yet that has both deep enough pockets to fund a knock-down legal battle and the will to sue and fight the unworkable regulations all the way to the Supremes if needed.

I can understand how people are upset about the closures, but if you read the documents at the start of the thread these are serious violations. It seems like Disney should take all of the blame on this. Not checking your fire extinguishers regularly is a no brainer. Not having a safety team or a way to elevate safety concerns. Allowing contractors to use items to anchor down safety harnesses that are not approved. California is a state where every building you go into contains carcinogens, but these are real violations. Sad. I would really be upset if I was going to the parks with all of these closures.

A young man fell to his death in Vegas a few years ago due to inadequate fall protection, and their occupational safety team was blasted for not demanding compliance -- and rightly so. No one's vacation is worth compromising the safety of those who work in the parks. It's baffling to me that anyone begrudges an employee safe working conditions for the sake of 3 minutes of entertainment -- whether that's an e-ticket 3 minutes or not.That's to say nothing of the violations that compromise YOUR safety, as a park-goer.

If they are aggressive in their enforcement DOSH isconsidered capricious, "in a bad mood" or "money-grabbing." If they let things slide they're negligent. Worse, if someone's injured or killed, they take the blame. What's less magical than someone losing their life in an effort to repair or maintain an amusement park ride?

OF COURSE it's dissappointing if ride closures happen during your vacation, but the villain here isn't DOSH. This was totally preventable.

A young man fell to his death in Vegas a few years ago due to inadequate fall protection, and their occupational safety team was blasted for not demanding compliance -- and rightly so. No one's vacation is worth compromising the safety of those who work in the parks. It's baffling to me that anyone begrudges an employee safe working conditions for the sake of 3 minutes of entertainment -- whether that's an e-ticket 3 minutes or not.That's to say nothing of the violations that compromise YOUR safety, as a park-goer.

If they are aggressive in their enforcement DOSH isconsidered capricious, "in a bad mood" or "money-grabbing." If they let things slide they're negligent. Worse, if someone's injured or killed, they take the blame. What's less magical than someone losing their life in an effort to repair or maintain an amusement park ride?

OF COURSE it's dissappointing if ride closures happen during your vacation, but the villain here isn't DOSH. This was totally preventable.

This has GOT to be a Fines and Fees money-grab by Cal-DOSH and OSHA. Problem is, they haven't hit a company hard yet that has both deep enough pockets to fund a knock-down legal battle and the will to sue and fight the unworkable regulations all the way to the Supremes if needed.

--<< Bruce >>--

I doubt there is some grand conspiracy against Disney, unless you're saying that OSHA paid contract workers to fall and injure themselves just so they could shutdown a hand full of rides?!

OF COURSE it's dissappointing if ride closures happen during your vacation, but the villain here isn't DOSH. This was totally preventable.

Everything is preventable. Every accident that has occurred is preventable. The best method for prevention of accidents at Disneyland is to close the park, but in accepting that is a rediculous notion, you also accept that SOME risk is normal and to be expected. Some risk is acceptable.

It's the amount of risk that is acceptable that is certainly up for debate. Right now the acceptable level of risk is being determined by the laws that DOSH is enforcing and not necessarily taking history into account. A lot of folks don't believe that enforcing those laws justifies shutting down attractions. when the attractions have safe proven track records.

Everything is preventable. Every accident that has occurred is preventable. The best method for prevention of accidents at Disneyland is to close the park, but in accepting that is a rediculous notion, you also accept that SOME risk is normal and to be expected. Some risk is acceptable.

It's the amount of risk that is acceptable that is certainly up for debate. Right now the acceptable level of risk is being determined by the laws that DOSH is enforcing and not necessarily taking history into account. A lot of folks don't believe that enforcing those laws justifies shutting down attractions. when the attractions have safe proven track records.

Space Mountain has had two accidents within the past 12 months . . . and there were reasonable safety upgrades that should have—and now must be—made. I guess somebody could complain that just because Disney didn't make sure Space was up to snuff then maybe they are taking care of their other attractions with a higher degree of safety . . . . but the owner is the same for Space and Screamin'.

Maybe Disney could have keept Space open and completed the upgrades to maintenance/guest areas on the third shift, with temporary railings in place for areas that have to be used, but I think they wouldn't want to pay the extra money, and maybe OSHA kinda hinted/ordered, whatever, that the whole ride be shuttered.

One castmember area I remember from many years ago has a drop-off, without railing, right next to a work area . . . thought it was a hazard at the time. Backstage, Disneyland really shows its age as there isn't an emphasis on upkeep, and much less of the ubiquitous railings and safety features seen in guest areas.

At this point, post-accident, it seems just like common sense to see what else Disney has neglected. Anchorage points, railings, fire extinguishers . . . seem kinda basic, not at all surprised that other attractions have been shutdown.

At least 14 people are dead in West, Texas, because of a lack of safety regulations. The plant operated for 51 years without a deadly fire and explosion. But, it was still unsafe for all of those years. Sooner or later a lack of regulations that protect all of us, or a failure to operate withing those regulations will finally catch up with and either injure or kill one or more people as happened there.

At least 14 people are dead in West, Texas, because of a lack of safety regulations. The plant operated for 51 years without a deadly fire and explosion. But, it was still unsafe for all of those years. Sooner or later a lack of regulations that protect all of us, or a failure to operate withing those regulations will finally catch up with and either injure or kill one or more people as happened there.

If safety continued to be ignored, it would only be a matter of time before worker(s), or guest(s) would be killed at Disneyland.

Yes. Two accidents where Cast Members were doing something that had an inherent risk to it. Yes Disney can and will do everything they can to make these jobs safer, but the risk will always exist no matter what. Legislating against every possible risk is a endless pursuit. On top of that our system has changed from one of personal responsibility to one of corporate / public responsibility. Despite the fact that the contractor was the one who decided to hook up to an unsafe anchorage, and never questioned it, everyone else is made to accept responsibility for it except him [although it should be noted his company has recently been fined for the same incident].

It is a sad turn of events and it is certainly worth discussion. There is no turning back though: and more practices that were determined safe for dozens of years will be abolished. More lawsuits (from both guests and cast) will continue to drive up the costs of going to Disneyland and will eventually doom the success of the park, much like other businesses in California.

I'm surprised they haven't closed Pirates Lair yet, as there are many rocks and drops that are over 30 inches. Or the Disneyland Railroad, or the Castle Drawbridge. Or do the same safety regulations not apply to the guests?